A New Place

Weslandia
A picture book by Paul Fleischman
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
Published by Candlewick Press, 1999
Lexile: 820L
34 pages
found: on the shelves


I must admit that I have always wanted to live simply off the land and grow and craft everything I need. I love to garden and sew and other domestic things one would need to do to survive. Weslandia is the story of a boy who doesn’t quite fit in to “normal” society and finds solace in his own backyard. He discovers a new plant from which he is able to eat, drink, and craft utensils, clothing, and tools. In the end, it is the other kids in town who find themselves trying to get into Weslandia.

I like the fantastical way that this encourage children to be themselves and carve their own path, regardless of how others behave. The end message is that in the end, the true leaders are those who are passionate and confident in their quest. Wesley decides that if the kids at school are going to treat him like an outcast, then he will find is own place to fit in.

To use this story in the classroom, I would take a scientific/creative problem solving approach in small groups. I could give each group a few ears of corn or potatoes and ask students to think of creative uses for various crops. Ask them to create a vessel, a tool, two ways to consume, and one fabric (either to write on or sew). Getting students to think creatively, “outside the box” gives them confidence to accept that there are many ways to accomplish a task. When one path does not lead to success, another can be tried. An exercise like this teaches students to think of using their resources in unique ways.

Parables

Read Aloud Bible Stories Vol. 1
A picture book by Ella K. Lindvall
Illustrated by J. Kent Puckett
Moody Publishers, 1982
Level: any
158 pages
found: recommended by a friend
The Hold Medallion Book Award
A C.S. Lewis Honor Book


This collection of Bible stories was recommended to me by good friends and church Vicar. It is often a challenge to find versions of Bible stories which maintain the integrity of the parable while remaining appealing to children. This collection includes: The Man Who Was Too Little, The Man Who Couldn’t See, The Boys and Girls and Jesus, The Wind That Obeyed, and The Man Who Said, “Thank You.” These stories are particularly good for reading aloud because the language is simple and child-friendly (mommies and daddies) and uses many onomatopoeias (splash, splash! Step… step… step…) which helps to engage children in the story.

The objective of a parable is to bring the presence of God down to the people on earth, and then return back up beyond human reach. In this way, children can begin to comprehend a vast presence within their own small worlds.

In addition to the wonderfully descriptive language, I especially enjoy the simple watercolor marker illustrations. They are the type of drawings that children could make themselves and I think that really appeals to them.

This collection of stories is particularly for groups of fidgety children. I would have them organize a production of one of the stories. They must designate a director, the cast of characters, set a scene of props, and act out the storyline.

What's that smell?

The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales
A picture book by Jon Scieszka
Illustrated by Lane Smith
Published Viking Press, 1992
Lexile: 520L
56 pages
found: recall from high school
Caldecott Honor Book

Usually I stay away from books with the word “stupid” in them because we were never allowed to use that word in my house growing up. There were three of us kids, each with varying levels of ease when it came to school, so “stupid” was truly insulting from one kid to another, and Mama let us know it was inappropriate. But the rich, exaggerated drawings of this book indicated that its tone is cheeky and ridiculous, so it felt alright with the understanding that it is not a malicious title.

The book itself is just teeming with sarcasm from cover to cover, literally. It is a collection of slightly off-kilter fairy tales in which a happy ending is either met by alternate means, or not at all. For example, there’s the story of the Ugly Duckling who in end, just stays ugly. And the account of a little man made of stinky cheese, olives, and bacon instead of gingerbread, who no one wanted to chase, but ends up dissolving in the river.

I like this book because it takes conventional “and they lived happily ever after” fairy tales and spins them into more brash, slightly cynical versions. It really encourages readers to look at fairy tales with a different, possibly more realistic lens. Yes, a more realistic lens does damped the magic of the fairy tale, but I think it teaches children to think critically about what they hear, and not just accept it as a truth. Perhaps a Prince Charming will not come riding in on a white horse, and what if the ugly duckling grew into an ugly duck? It’s ok.

I also love the illustrations in this book. They are composed of various mediums, including paint, pencil, and collage. Many of the pictures use a mix of Smith’s garish illustrations and real images (from newspapers, old photographs, and text). This mix of real and unreal lends itself well to the idea of looking at fairy tales more realistically.

I would use this book in the classroom to teach about humor and cynicism. After reading the book, I’d ask them what made these stories humorous? Students would work in small groups to choose a fairy tale and twist it around so that odd and funny things happen instead of the norm. I would encourage them to create an ending that’s slightly shocking and outlandish.

People

People
A picture book written and illustrated by Peter Spier
Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, 1980
Lexile: 440
37 pages
found: on the shelves
Christopher Medal, 1980


Peter Spier’s unique style is due to his effortless text and his elaborate ink and watercolor artwork. People is a non-narrative book about the diversity of people in the world and stresses the importance of individuality. The simple text describes the commonalities among different cultures, while the illustrations display the endless variations. It depicts physical traits such as size, shape, and color. It shows differences in style of home, hair, and clothing. It describes different languages, art, and food. The conclusion of the book asks the question, “Wouldn’t the world be dull is everything and everyone was exactly the same?” The format of the book encourages readers to first regard what makes all people alike, and then consider what makes them unique. A feeling of both fitting yet standing out at the same time gives children a balance of security and individuality. This will hopefully build confidence in children, no matter their size, shape, color, or style.

The tone of the text is matter of fact, with no apparent innuendos or bias. This makes the book a wonderful prompt for discussion about oneself and others. This book speaks to me specifically because I grew up as Korean-American in a predominately Caucasian population. To draw parallels between my classmates and I would have been a great lesson.

People is appropriate for readers who already have a basic understanding of vocabulary and would like to expand their understanding. Young readers might know what American houses look like, but have never seen homes from other cultures. They might know that they love to eat spaghetti, but not know that it actually came to us from Italy. I would use this as a prompt for an art project. Spier uses watercolor and ink so masterfully in his bold illustrations. It would be a great opportunity to have students draw their own qualities in ink and teach them to use watercolors properly. I would then ask students to work in partners or groups to find one thing they have in common and one thing that sets them apart. In this, hopefully students would take pride in their artwork as well as in their individuality.

Snow

The Snowy Day
A picture book with story and pictures by Ezra Jack Keats
Published by Viking Press, 1962
Lexile: 500L
32 pages
Caldecott Medal, 1963
found: on the shelves

The Snowy Day is a story with no particular plot about a small boy named Peter and his diminutive adventures one snowy day. He loves to feel the snow crunching under his feet, make tracks and angels in the smooth snow surface, and hear the “plop!” of the snow as it falls from the trees. He loves the snow so much that he tries to keep some in his pocket for later. Unfortunately, it melts into water and Peter is sad as he goes to bed. When he wakes the next morning, he finds new snow is falling and inviting him out to play. The story encourages children to go out and explore using all the senses. Confidence comes from security and independence, as Peter demonstrates on this snowy day. He explores texture, sound, and even bravely experiments with motion down the hill. It also deals with the disappointment of the melted snow but give hope to readers in the freshly fallen snow of the new morning.

The sparse text tells a simple narrative, and this story is appealing to me mostly because of the artful illustrations by Ezra Jack Keats. They are minimalist and geometric, but his innovative use of texture and design really make the snow warm and appealing. This story is also significant because it features a young black boy as the main character, a radical choice for the early 1960’s.

Readers of any age will enjoy this story because the illustrations are bold and wonderful to look at. The story is easy to understand, and any child who has experienced a fresh snowfall will be able to relate to Peter’s joy.

The Snowy Day would be a great accompaniment for many activities during the winter. A science lesson on snow and the unique properties of water could lead to experiments about the reason the snow melted. This book was published right in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement. This book would be an excellent example of an outcome of that movement. Finally, the day after a snow day would present a wonderful writing prompt for students to make snowflakes and write their own story about a snowy day.

Rumpusing Wildly

Where the Wild Things Are
A picture book with story and pictures by Maurice Sendak
Published by Harper Collins Publishers, 1963
Lexile: 740L
48 pages
Caldecott Medal, 1964
found: on the shelves

Where the Wild Things Are is a classic story of Max, a little boy behaving badly, and the wild imaginary place he goes to escape the punishment of being sent to his room. A tall forest grows, and he sails to a land where all the wild things are. When he arrives, they are all eager to be terrible but Max uses his powers to tame them and tell them what to do. Because of this, they make him king of all wild things, and gives them the famous command to “let the wild rumpus start!” After sometime of being king, Max decides he would rather be home where he was just Max, a little boy who was loved. Fortunately for him, he makes it back all the way across the world just in time to eat his dinner.

Max’s story demonstrates both independence and security in letting imagination take you away! It empowers readers to defeat and even control their fears, and reminds them that returning to reality can be a comforting conclusion. For me, the Caldecott winning drawings really capture the air of a child in his or her imaginary land. His expressions echo the snooty, “all-knowing” attitude that adults give kids when they are in trouble. The wild things themselves are hideous, yet endearing so that children can perhaps liken their fears to this sort of creature.

This story is great for little ones who are afraid to be alone or have nightmares. It teaches them they can guide their own thoughts and helps them increase their independence. It would also appeal to elementary children in general because of its amusing storyline. I would use Where the Wild Things Are for creative writing exercises such as “What does it mean to imagine something?” or “If you were kind or queen, what would you command your wild things to do?” It could be an art activity in which students are asked to use a particular medium (I like paper collages the best!) to create their own wild thing. My favorite, of course, would be to do a creative movement activity in which you put on some dramatic music and ask students what the wild rumpus looks and sounds like.

A Pot of Courage

The Empty Pot
A picture book with story and pictures by Demi
Published by Henry Holt and Company, 1990
Lexile: 630L
30 pages
found: on the shelves

The Empty Pot is the retelling of an ancient Chinese folktale about an emperor who, in his old age, decides to chose his successor based on seeds. He gives special flower seeds to all the children in the kingdom and tells them, “Whoever can show me their best in a year’s time will succeed me to the throne.” Of course every child wanted to be Emperor and every parent wished it for their child, but a boy called Ping was especially sure he would grow the most beautiful flower in all of China. He tended to it carefully for the duration of the year, but nothing grew. He gave it the very best soil and watered it regularly, but when spring came, Ping still had an empty pot. Will Ping have the courage to appear before the Emperor with an empty pot? Will the Emperor reward him for his honesty?

In the end, it is Ping’s courage and honesty that bring him good fortune, not his gardening skills. This story tells readers that it’s not always important to be the best, and more important to remain honest and have the valor to stick by the results. I particularly enjoy this story because it remains the context of ancient China, even in the style of the illustrations resembles the bright and intricate ink drawings of old. For me, the strongest point of the story is that gardening is something that Ping was actually very good at, so he had high expectations for himself. He was embarrassed that his flower did not bloom and was afraid the other kids would laugh at him. Instead of cheating for the sake of his pride, he accepts the reality of the situation and it works out in his favor.

This speaks to those students who are generally very good at what they do but occasionally do not live up to their expectations. Children of all ages will enjoy this story and the accompanying narrative pictures. This story could extend to of a number of discussion and projects. A study of Chinese culture and ancient Chinese art would be most appropriate, especially addressing the role of emperor. Also, a lesson on botany and growth cycles of flowers could be both a science lesson and an art project, particularly discussing flower species native to China and their effects as invasive species here in the United States. The bottom line to be answered by students here is, “Why did was Ping worthy to be the next Emperor?”

Out to Pasture

The Story of Ferdinand
A picture book by Munroe LeafIllustrated by Robert Lawson
Published Viking Press, 1936; Puffin Books, 1977
Lexile: 710L
64 pages
found: a gift

This classic story was a gift for my son from friends of the family who reported reading this story as children. The book itself is 73 years old, but the story and simple ink drawings still speak to children today. Ferdinand is a young bull in Spain who is perfectly happy sitting in the shade and smelling the flowers instead of butting heads and fighting like the other bulls. A he grows big and strong, he shows no interest in going to Madrid to fight in the great bull fights like all the other bulls. But in an unfortunate misunderstanding, Ferdinand is perceived as the fiercest bull in the land and is taken to fight. How will Ferdinand deal with the grand expectations of the great bull fights of Madrid? Will he perform on demand? Or stay true to himself?

There are so many expectations in life, and children need to understand how to handle unrealistic expectations without disappointment. I find Ferdinand the gentle bull a wonderful example of having the confidence to defy stereotypes. Ferdinand knows what makes him happy and doesn’t care if that means standing out from the bull crowd.

The Story of Ferdinand is appealing to any elementary age, and could easily relate to many other subjects. The storyline is simple enough that younger students can follow and there is plenty of humor throughout to keep them engaged. It could be used to discuss the Spanish culture and how the bull fights are an ancient tradition. It could be used as a short animal science lesson on the growth and typical behavior of bulls. Most importantly, you could ask students to identify what makes Ferdinand different from the other bulls and likewise, what makes them different from other people.

Sowing Seeds

The Tiny Seed
A book to begin on with story and pictures by Eric Carle
published by Little Simon, 1987
Lexile: 400L
30 pages
found: a gift


The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle was a gift for my son with the message, “You were a tiny seed when you were born and I’m sure you will make great things!” The story is that of a seed, much smaller than the others. One who does not fly as high and blooms a bit late, but comes into its own nonetheless. In following the seed for an entire seasonal cycle, we see the seed bloom and return to seed. It addresses issues of self-esteem and patience in readers who may not always be the best or strongest. The story of The Tiny Seed encourages little ones to appreciate who they are and understand that everyone blooms in their own time.

Eric Carle gives us rich color and texture with this story and I really think it captures the feeling of movement in the seed. Nature is my favorite subject to teach and I especially love to draw parallels between environmental cycles and human nature. In this case, plant cycles and the need for optimal growth conditions demonstrate the many variables in human growth. The fact that the tiniest of seeds grows into a giant flower that reaches all the way up to the sun tells little ones that even the humblest can come into greatness.

The story is easy to follow and the pictures are stimulating so this book could easily be read to children of any elementary age. It might be particularly beneficial for students studying plant cycles to help them relate to the environment. For an interdisciplinary approaching, I would have students study “where do seeds come from” and “how to they travel?” Have students stand up and move around the room as the story describes the seed flying up to the sky, skimming the ocean, hiding from a bird, growing up to the sky, and taking off to the wind once more. Ask students “did the size and speed of the seed effect the tiny seed?” Hopefully they will recognize that the adventures of the tiny seed lead it only the brilliance.

In the Trees

One Tree
A book to begin on written by Leslie Bockol
Illustrated by Jillian Phillips
Published by InnovativeKids, 2009
For any age
20 pages
found: on the shelves


One Tree is part of a series of books by Green Start for educating children about the importance of caring for the earth. It is the story of a tree and the community it supports. There are bees, birds, bugs, and squirrels all living in the tree and in each season, the tree interacts with them differently. By spring, its berries have sprouted into a new sapling and now two trees grow in the meadow. The book concludes with an informational page on the conservation of trees including a series of small steps easily followed at home or school. This book provides an excellent opportunity to give students information on something valuable to others (humans and animals) and ways to care for them. Giving students a sense of responsibility increases their confidence.

I was initially drawn to this book because of it’s brown kraft paper composition and collage-like use of pattern in its illustrations. The animals are endearing and could easily be imitated by students in an art exercise. The story vividly describes the extensive community which composes this ecosystem. I love any opportunity to give students an idea of their own existence in time. Trees are my favorite way to do this because if conditions permit, they will live hundreds of years. Ask students to thing about the trees they see. How old are the trees? What was going on when they were small seedlings? What about the small trees they see, what will it be like when they grow big and tall in 50 years? These questions are good for helping kids comprehend their own mortality and grow to appreciate the vitality of trees.

This simple story is appropriate for any age, even babies will enjoy the bright pictures. At home or in the classroom, the suggestions for caring for trees are easily discussed and implemented. Take students outside to observe the trees in their surrounding. Students can draw a picture of a tree and all the critters that make up the community. Encourage students to draw some resources the tree needs (water, sunlight, soil). Finally, ask students to write a few sentences on one thing they can do to preserve their tree. Ensure they understand that in taking responsibility for this one tree, they are also helping all the little animals who depend on that tree.

Confidence in Literature

There are so many books out there, it seems like picking a theme for my collection would not accurately represent the many types of books I love. When it comes to children's books, I love a story easily understood but rich in meaning, and narrative pictures with artistic value. I strongly believe that when it comes to children, we should not compromise quality because we think they can't tell the difference. Cheaply made books and commercial prints with little aesthetic value maybe a lure for a baby's eyes, but could there be another option with the same information and richer representation? I always say babies are not dumb, they're just new to art. I believe that if we show them beautiful art from the start, they will harbor greater appreciation and interest later in life.

Literature is such a wonderful way to teach our children about these ideas. They use character modeling to demonstrate outcomes, use varied contexts to give different examples of behavior, and incorporates other subjects to give an interdisciplinary education.

I have two goals for my "Leaves of Grasslings" literature collection. One is that all the books have a certain artistic value in both text and illustrations. This value, of course, will be objective since my artistic opinions might differ from yours.

The second, and most important, theme that will string these books together is the concept of raising confident children. Not the false confidence built up in constant praise, but the more inward confidence that a child finds on their own. They need to be realistic about their abilities, understand how to deal with expectations and disappointment, and have the courage to take risks. Just as Walt Whitman's epic collection of poetry commented on the impact of the individual on the world, I hope the books discussed in "Leaves of Grasslings" will encourage young readers to go out into the world with confidence and... grow.

Roots

I shared a room with my sister for my entire childhood. We knew that books were important to my parents so we quickly grew wise to the "one more story" ploy to delay bedtime. Incidentally, there were several "5 Minute Bedtime Stories" among our literary collection. My favorite was one about a little girl who saves up her pennies to purchase a glass bird for her grandmother (I'll have to ask my mom about that one!).

My second grade teacher, Mrs. Sherman, had the best posture of anyone I had met. She wore a long, heavy skirt in red or blue, and a crisp button-down shirt with stripes of the same color. She would put her left arm across her chest and place her right hand at her chin as she looked down at us scurrying down the hall like little second grade mice. She was very strict, but also kind and I learned to love Mrs. Sherman in second grade. She insisted that we maintained proper decorum and keep our desks neat, and for that I was grateful. She told us that we were going to read a very long story called The Wheel on the School by Meindert Dejong. When she produced the actual book, I remember being amazed by its thickness! 329 pages! She read to us everyday and we finished the entire book over the course of the school year. I loved listening to her tell the story of kids, just like us, in a completely foreign place. I thought it was so novel to put a giant wooden wheel atop the school! Looking back, I am not surprised that I loved the book so much. It addresses a scientific problem (the storks are no longer nesting in their town- how can the town get them back?), anthropology (vividly captures the Dutch culture), and conveys the idea that little children can solve big problems.

As a young adolescent, I was obsessed with reading and journaling. Mostly Laura Ingalls Wilder, Roald Dahl, and Avi. Then I moved into the radical young teen poetry phase reading Ginsberg, ee cummings, and Neurda. From there, I spent high school moving through the female authors like Joyce Carol Oates, Sylvia Plath, Sharon Olds, and Simone deBeaviour. As a biology undergraduate, my attention turned to reading scholarly journal articles and scientific texts. Reading become more practical and less fun.

Now that I have a son who will be two this summer, my attentions have turned again back to literature for young minds. There is something comforting about returning to the books and stories I remember from my own youth. I'm looking forward to applying the insights gained in this course both at home and in the classroom.